


First Meetings

by Eldritch



Category: Amatsuki
Genre: Alternate Universe - Historical, Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2008-04-18
Updated: 2008-04-18
Packaged: 2017-10-02 15:50:52
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 764
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/8069
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Eldritch/pseuds/Eldritch
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>A serving boy and a princess on a winter's day. Heian era AU.</p>
            </blockquote>





	First Meetings

Splinters off the wooden handle of the bucket cut into Hiwa's hands as he slowly lugged it across the yard. Every time he stumbled, water splashed up onto his hands and chilled them further in the cold morning air. He had the sneaking suspicion that he was being taken advantage of due to his status as the newest of the servants, but that wasn't anything he could complain about, even to Byakuroku. Not without making himself an even bigger target for the other ayakashi servants. And it wasn't as though he could talk to the human servants about it. They'd threatened to clip his wings if he caused any trouble.

Lost in thought, his feet slipped on a patch of ice hidden by the freshly-fallen snow. The next thing he knew, he was falling, the bucket's contents spilling out onto him before it clattered to the ground. Hiwa's back hit the ground hard, knocking the breath from him. Great, he thought as he gasped for air. Just great. The water was soaking into his clothes and hair, and he could already feel himself beginning to shiver.

"My, are you all right?"

As breath came whooshing back into his lungs, Hiwa sprang to his feet and rounded sharply on the source of the voice. "Screw you, oka--" The rest of the retort died on his lips.

In a nearby building, a young court lady, still only half dressed and long hair hanging loose, was peeking through a sliding screen at him. One sleeve was covering mouth in surprise. For a long moment, she simply stared at Hiwa, eyes wide. Then she began to giggle.

"U-um..." Hiwa stuttered. "Look, I didn't mean... uh..."

The lady giggled again, dropping the concealing sleeve. Her face was open and pretty, and their was no hint of mockery in her smile. "You must be freezing out there," she said softly. "Why don't you come in for a bit?"

Hiwa wasn't exactly sure why he agreed. Maybe it was because he was so cold. But the next thing he knew, he had nodded mutely was climbing onto the porch and was following her inside. This was going to get him in trouble, he could tell. An ayakashi servant, especially in his position, in a lady's room? Of course, he'd spilled the bucket, so it wasn't as though he wasn't already in trouble.

The lady's room was warm and smelled faintly of incense. She slid the screen shut behind him and placed her finger to his lips in a shushing gesture. "They've just been in to give me my tea," she whispered, a secretive smile dancing over her features, "so we've got a few minutes before anyone comes back."

A steaming cup of tea was pressed into Hiwa's hands and warmth immediately began to spread through his body. "I... thanks," he muttered embarrassedly. He held it awkwardly, unsure if he was allowed to drink it or not. Now that he wasn't so cold, his back was starting to ache from his earlier fall. His left wing felt especially tender. Frowning slightly, he gently flexed it.

"Oh!" The lady's soft exclamation of surprise caused Hiwa to quickly snap his wings closed. He glared up at her a bit defensively.

"No, no," she said. "Do it again. I think you've... bent a feather."

Hiwa stared at her suspiciously. But bent feathers weren't anything he could fix by himself, so he spread his wings. The lady leaned in close, bringing with her a slightly different incense scent than the one the room held. Hiwa liked this one better -- it didn't make him feel so much like he was going to sneeze. Her hands were soft and gentle as they smoothed over Hiwa's wings, carefully straightening and combing his feathers. There was a look of happy awe on her face, completely different from the usual revolted expressions humans turned towards ayakashi, even those that served them. It made Hiwa's face heat in embarrassment, even as he enjoyed it, leaning in slightly to the touch.

The sound of hushed voices from further inside the building broke the comfortable silence. "You should go," the lady said, sounding vaguely disappointed. "If anyone gives you any trouble for disappearing like that, just tell them you were with Lady Ginshu, all right?" The smile she flashed Hiwa as she ushered him out was bright and mischievous.

As the screen closed and Hiwa found himself once more out in the cold, he stared dumbly at the place where the fallen bucket still lay.

He could still feel Ginshu's hands on his wings.


End file.
